Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/629850
Looking from the outside in, an Israeli set looks like an army operation; expressed by the crew's personal commitment to the project and their mutual effort to meet the target. This quality made it possible to construct the set of A Tale of Love and Darkness in a commercial Tel Aviv street in only three working days. Another essential difference is expressed in the definition of roles. The director's interactive work, including analysis and visual development of a film, is identical in both countries. The main difference is in the crew's allocation of roles: the American industry is characterized by a clear hierarchical structure of staff manning a series of defined jobs. Everyone knows his or her role and place. The tendency in Israel, however, is to work horizontally. A professional will often wear more than one hat, and in extreme cases, can become the Mad Hatter. Despite this difference, a co-production with a range of cultures, can be an amalgamation of fascinating human and professional qualities which even become apparent on the movie screen. In the case of A Tale of Love and Darkness, the co-production between Hollywood and Israeli Arad Sawat, Production Designer Yaniv Shimoni, Illustrator Gili Lavi, Graphic Artist Gali Rosenbaum-Prat, Set Designer Noa Roshovsky, Salim Shehade, Set Decorators artists and producers gave an added dimension to the project. The merging of the cultures created a combination of different perspectives. A close-up view sees Oz's story as a therapeutic handling of the establishment of the State of Israel, in itself a foundation stone of Israeli culture, myth and history. While the other broader perspective from outside the intimate spectrum of Israeli culture, strives to create entertainment and the best possible movie. ADG Photographs by Ran Mendelsohn Above, left to right: A production photograph taken during filming in Amos' school hall, constructed in the Beit Jamal monastery. Amos' classroom at school. Below, left to right: The pharmacy, built into the Schneller Compound, was a deserted area, and the set was built from foundation. The restaurant where Amos and his mother take his father—a focal point in the film. The site was chosen primarily because of its unique ceiling.